Survivor: “What Happened to Me Does Not Define Me”
Boston, April 26, 2016—As the man who assaulted her was sentenced to life in prison, a young sexual assault survivor today declared that she will “no longer be labeled a victim,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.
A Suffolk Superior Court jury on April 12 convicted ERROLL FOREMAN (D.O.B. 1/23/65) of three counts of aggravated rape of a child and single counts of assault and battery and witness intimidation. Because Foreman was previously convicted of the rape and sexual exploitation of another child, Suffolk prosecutors sought a second trial in order to secure enhanced sentences for rape of a child as a subsequent offense. At the conclusion of a jury-waived trial before Judge Linda Giles today, Foreman was found guilty of the subsequent offense and sentenced to life in prison.
At trial, Assistant District Attorney Maryrose Anthes of the DA’s Child Protection Unit introduced evidence and testimony to prove that Foreman knew the victim as a friend of her family. He sexually assaulted her while driving her to a summer program in Dorchester on July 31, 2014. When she began to cry, Foreman slapped her and threatened to kill her and her family if she disclosed the assaults, Anthes proved.
Despite Foreman’s attempts to silence her, the victim reported the assaults to program staff and was transported to Boston Medical Center. She participated in a forensic interview, disclosing further information. Based on the state of the evidence at that time, Boston Police detectives obtained a warrant for his arrest and the Fugitive Unit apprehended him on Aug. 2.
During today’s trial, Anthes proved that Foreman was the same man who in 1986 was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court and sentenced to three- to- seven-year state prison sentence for rape of a child and deriving support from prostitution for offenses he committed against another child.
Before the sentence was imposed, Anthes read a victim-impact statement written by the victim of his most recent offenses.
“This has been a very emotional journey for me as a child, growing up into a young lady. I realized what happened to me does not define me. I will also no longer be labeled as a victim of Errol Foreman, but a survivor of his crime that he committed against me,” the victim wrote.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, survivors of sexual violence can also call their local rape crisis center for free and confidential services and to discuss their options. Support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, regardless of whether they wish to take part in a criminal prosecution. Services by city and town can be found at www.janedoe.org/find_help/search.
In Suffolk County, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers a free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical accompaniment and many other free services to victims of rape and sexual assault. Suffolk victim-witness advocates can assist in referrals to BARCC and a wide array of non-profit service providers who can offer additional support and services.
Eliana Builes was the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Foreman was represented by Stanley Helinski.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
